Resilient closure



Jan. i? E938. a. J. vaoLETTE RESILIENT CLOSURE Filed May 4, 1936INVENTOR.

HMI-IHR@ J.' VIOLETTL ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RESILIENT CLOSURERichard J. Violette, Virginia, Minn.

Application May 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,743

-2 Claims.

This invention relates to tooth-brushes and more particularly to theconstruction of the handle portion of same, the principal object of theinvention being to provide a hollow handle 5 for a tooth brush withinwhich may be carried a quantity of tooth powder.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a tooth brushhandle having a spring controlled closure for same, which may be readilymanipulated with the thumb of the hand holding the brush while pouring asupply of the powder therefrom for subsequent application to the brush.

Still other objects and advantages of the in- 5 vention will appear inthe following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisapplication and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

20 Figure 1 is a cross sectional View of my completely assembled toothbrush and handle, partly in elevation.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2, Figure 1.

25 In the drawing, the numeral I represents the brush head, having anenlarged rear portion 2, which is externally screw threaded to receivethe end of the handle 3, which is hollow and tubular in form, and withinwhich hollow han- 30 dle may be carried a quantity of tooth powder.

Within the handle is xedly installed the diametrically disposed post 4,which forms an anchoring means for one end of the contractile spring 5,and the other end of which spring is 35 attached to a length of braidedwire or suitable connector 6 the other end of which latter is in turnattached to the ball 'l which lits snugly about the open end of thehandle which forms a seat for the ball.v The spring of course normally40 holds the ball on the seat and thereby prevents any of the powderwithin the handle from escaping through the open end, but when the ballis forced to one side, or olf its seat, as by the thumb of the handholding the device, powder may be poured from the handle into the palmof the other hand, for subsequent application to the 5 brush bristles,and when the ball is again released the spring will quickly draw theball onto its seat.

To insure a water-tight seat for the ball, I have shown a rubber ringinsert 8 about the open end 10 of the handle and which has been found tofunction admirably for the purpose intended.

Of course the exposed surface of the ball need not be spherical in form,but may be made more artistic or otherwise attractive if desired.

It is thus apparent that I have devised an eX- ceedingly practical andconvenient hollow handled tooth-brush for the carrying of tooth powdertherein, which method of cleaning the teeth is rapidly gaining in favor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. In combination, an instrument handle of hollow construction forcarrying powder therein and having an open free end, means laterallyremovably held over said open end to normally act as a closure therefor,and a resilient teather attached at one end to said means and at itsother end within said hollow handle to permit of the contents of thehandle being poured therefrom when said means has been laterally removedfrom its normal position over said open end.

2. The combination with a hollow handle of the character described andhaving an open free end, of a laterally movable closure therefor, and aresilient teather attached at one end to said closure and at its otherend to means within the handle intermediate the ends thereof whereby thecontents of the handle may be poured from one side of the open end ofsaid handle.

RICHARD J. VIOLETTE.

